the fifteen ounce baby jacket

The One Pound Baby Jacket (Snug) is off the needles and on the blocking board.  Three of the buttons are sewn on and the fourth (at the neck) is yet to be selected from the button bucket.  When the bulky sweater is finished drying I'll sew him on, roll up the cuffs and cozy it in with the other baby knits that are waiting for a chubby body to fill them.

The book is a new acquisition.  I'm very visual and this book is inspirational eye candy.  Even if I never did sew a garment from the pages (which I will) the natural palette, natural fibers and casual patterns would inspire me to... something.  My daughter spotted it at Joann's the other day while we were picking up a few things during their 'make your own sale' (which means I had a 50% off coupon).  She knows her mama.

And do you see that cream colored ball nestled in among the other hand-spun?  It weighs exactly 1 ounce,   making my One Pound Baby Jacket more accurately dubbed the Fifteen Ounce Baby Jacket.  And if we really want to get technical, the 'baby' jacket would be more accurately termed the 'toddler' jacket as I'm certain it's going to be quite roomy on an 18 month old and fit nicely up to about 4 years!  With this much wool invested I'm happy about that...  A generous couple years of wearing will make this grammie happy!


Joining Ginny's Yarn Along
Blessings, Debbie

a late night purchase

Talk about fast service!  I purchased this beautiful batt just before midnight on the 13th (no I am not in the habit of shopping at that hour) and received it today.  Today!

If you spin you are probably already aware of Ashley of Neauveau Fiber Arts from her fabulous YouTube tutorials.  When I found her I was immediately smitten.  She's exciting to watch and interesting to listen to. Luckily she has  many, many wonderful videos.

A couple of weeks ago I visited her shop/blog.  She was quoting scripture and praising the Lord.  My youngest daughter thought I was completely off my nut as throughout the day I kept grinning and sighing... "Ashley is a believer!"  It was just such a delight to know the little darling that had me believing I could get outrageous with a wheel was a sister in Christ.

Anyway, the other night, I was drawn (Holy Spirit) to her site and found that she was not having a very good time.  She was discouraged by some personal circumstances.  She needed some quick financial stimulus and was offering 30% off everything in her shop.  I LOVE her stuff.  I've never purchased fiber online but my sister needed help and I was made aware of it in the middle of the night...  hence the late night purchase.

If you are so moved, I know that Ashley would appreciate your prayer.  She included a very nice note that confirmed that she's feeling a bit better.  Grin.  "Ashley's a believer!".

Blessings, Debbie

a lovely shade of chestnut

visit rachel for a fun pattern using your knitting mushroom/tower/nancy/ned...

A couple of weeks ago I put some spinach on to simmer. It simmered and simmered, then I put it in a jar to sit overnight.  The next morning I strained it and returned the spinach juice to the fridge (the rest went to the chickens) while I finished plying the 6 ounces of merino that I had spun.  After Googling natural dyes and realizing that my spinach concoction wasn't going to be strong enough for the amount of yarn waiting I decided to see how much Kool-aid I could come up with.

Shown above, we have the result of several packages of grape with a package of cherry... then just to muddy it up, I added the spinach juice.  This wasn't my first time dying but somehow I made a mess of things.  Of course it had to happen when I had the most yarn in the dye-pot that I had ever had in at once.  I was loving the color... a nice mulberry.  Everything seemed fine until I was removing the water from the yarn and noticed that where the skeins were tied together I had apparently gotten a bit, shall we say, enthusiastic?  I thought that I had tied loosely but I guess it wasn't loose enough.  Two lovely mulberry skeins with white spots every 8 inches or so were the result.  Not only that, but the fibers seemed to have (very lightly) felted.

Not one to cry over felted, spotty skeins, I put them out of sight until I could mentally handle the idea of handling them again.  Today was the day.  I mentioned here that I had purchased a new dye-pot.  Today I took her out of her plastic wrap and gave her her first assignment.  FIX MY MESS!

I found my Jacquard dyes and chose Chestnut for it's camouflaging possibilities.  I tossed in the disgruntled skeins along with a recent small yardage from the spool.

I pressed out the water and this time... I think we're good!  Right now the wet skeins are hanging from doorknobs in the kitchen and utility room and I think I can safely say I have saved them!  I feel kinda like a heroine... can you be the heroine if you were the villain to start with?  Hmm.

Blessings, Debbie 

the source of my madness

Talk about going straight to the source!  This weekend I was blessed to be invited to the friend of a friend's house to spin with a group of Pygora breeders.  I mentioned here that I am becoming addicted to this fiber. Now I'm in love with the goats that provide it.  Don't worry... this is not a new hobby I'm considering.  I live in town, remember?  So, I stick to the spinning of and knitting with the beautiful yarn and leave the raising to Kathryn and her crew. 

The beautiful Willamette Valley is also home to my Hillary so I stayed the night with her and Monte.  We    attended their church on Sunday morning where Jon Micah of Kutless was home for the weekend and leading praise and worship.  Apparently Athey Creek Christian Fellowship is his home church.  I couldn't wait to tell my husband.  Not that he needs another excuse to visit his daughter, but...

Blessings, Debbie  

nothin' fancy

I had fun playing with fat and thin...  I also added some of the green fiber that I destroyed when I was learning to spin.  The pattern is; 

Cast on 11

knit 2 

*(yarn over, knit 2 together) 4x, 

knit 1.

Continue this pattern until desired length.

Bind off loosely

The scarf is 100% Merino hand-spun, knit with size 17 needles.

I'm reading Spinning and Dyeing the Natural Way by Ruth Castino.  I've checked this book from the library more than once.  It's not all inclusive, but I find it very inspiring.  I love the look of natural dyes and am eager to get busy!  Stay tuned!!

Joining Ginny's Yarn Along

Blessings, Debbie

last minute scritchies and last minute gifts

Today I received the 5 ounce pygora/wool/silk blend that I ordered from my friend who raises fiber goats.  It was a mistake to buy the first couple of ounces...  I'm now an addict.  It's soooo soft.  

I needed a pick me up since this morning I woke up with a scritchy throat.  I really don't have time to be sick! I did nothing wise today to try to keep it at bay.  I don't have time to take care of myself.  So much to do, so little time...  

I did finish a couple of gifts this evening.  Only about a gazillion to go.  I know, I should be done by now. What is the law that says that however long we have is how long we'll take?  So, although it makes sense (and I know some of you have mastered this) that you could be done a week before Christmas and then just relax...  Me?  I plot out how long it will take to finish what I need to accomplish.  Make the mark.  Then get excited about what else I now have time to make...  Actually I get excited about what else I can make when I realize that I'm about to make the mark!  This philosophy finds me up at 1:00am Christmas Eve morning putting the final touches on several last minute projects.  Ah well, that's me.

Blessings, Debbie   

a knitting carol

Tis the season to knit booties

fa lalalala lala la la

take a look, pygora cuties

fa lalalala lala la la

loving so my knitting needles

fa lala lalala la la la

ready for this knitting spree(dles)

(you try rhyming with needles!  it was either get creative or figure out how to use beetles!)
fa lalalala la la la la!

The mulberry pygora is from my friend's goat.  I spun a loose single to maintain the luscious softness of the fiber and they are pure heaven!  One ounce gave me enough yarn to make just shy of 2 pairs of booties. Next time I'll get one and a half ounces which will be more than enough.  I'm going to knit several pair to have on hand because we are welcoming babies left and right.  Such a wonderful time!

Joining Linda's Creative Friday
and Fiber Arts Friday 

Blessings, Debbie

a.k.a. armistice day

Lovely girls gather around the computer screen respectfully waiting for the veteran to speak. Tomorrow they will gather downtown to witness the brief procession that will walk (or wheelchair) its way to the memorial at the park.  There will be a speech and the shooting of firearms and tears.  We want to know. We want to show respect.  Tomorrow we will make a concentrated effort to say thank you, face to face.

And my friend the fiber lady sent me home with a goody bag!


Blessings, Debbie

retired

This is what I found upstairs at Bonnie's.  Just look at her...

The rich color of the old wood.  The aged patina.  The workmanship.  The elegant turnings.  The obvious wont of plastic.  The sturdy grace....

The history (she's a family heirloom).  The date.

Isn't she beautiful.  

The Memory of the Working Wheel

Debbie Penington 
September 7, 2011

The memory of fingers deft

Plays ever through her mind

She'll not forget the daily spin

Or Lady fair and kind

How she did hum and often sing

While roundy roundy sounds did ring

From out the gentle working frame

As fibers they did bind.

A working team of two were they

Creating by the light of day

While only during sleeping hours

Would respite ere they find

Goodnight, goodnight to lady fair

Goodnight, I say to thee

Goodnight she bids to working wheel

Goodnight she bids to me.

soul food

Let me just describe to you what it means to be spinning at my ripe old age.  I was telling my daughters the other day about how I used to be intrigued by a pottery shop that was about a mile down the road from where I lived during my middle and high school years.  It was at the end of the main drag through town (it's still there, I'm not).  The only people who saw it (unless they were going there on purpose) were those who were leaving Bend.  The point I'm making is that it was a low profile little nothing of a building.  In my 15 year old imagination, what went on in that place was akin to magic. 

I was completely intrigued with weaving looms and spinning wheels.  I loved books about these marvelous old world skills.  Books with block printed covers, monotone block typeface that screamed late '60s, early '70s. Ridiculous for a modern girl of the '80s...

I loved to touch linen, wool, 100% cotton... in natural form, in yarn form, or made into clothing and home items.

Here is where I show myself confused.  I wanted to move back to southern California.  I wanted to be considered big city.  I desired the shopping malls and yuppy districts.  These are the things I strove for the whole while my soul was fed by the alien world of natural fibers and pottery.  I didn't understand about knowing yourself.  I didn't get that people were different and that that was a good thing.  

I never learned to knit, weave, spin, never touched a pottery wheel... I didn't even purchase these beautiful products.  I just stared and stroked them when I was near them, then took off and bought the contemporary flowered acrylic blouse!  How much time I wasted...

But let's not cry over spilt milk.  The years that the locusts have eaten are being redeemed!  Next on the list.. I'm looking into pottery classes in the fall.  Both of the girls are loving the idea.  We may not be able to make them until spring if we have to go out of town, but go we shall.  So, I'll just learn alongside my next generation.  Or should I say, they'll learn alongside me.    

I feel like my 'self' has found home.  It fits.  It's right.  The one thing I did do when I was younger, the reading about these arts, has been a tremendous help.  It's like I did all of the studying and now it's just time for the labs.  When I learned to knit, my hands may have fumbled but I had an understanding of the fiber and the cloth.  I have enough background information and images, complete with sensory stimulation stored in this data bank of mine to write my own book.  Even if my fumbly fingers have never actually thrown pottery or...

So, just stand back and watch me soar!  Charlotte Mason Karen Andreola calls mom's pursuing of interests ~ Mother Culture. I call it... soul food.  And I am eating like there is no tomorrow!

Blessings, Debbie